Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2014 at 11:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, August 25, 2014 at 10:45 p.m.

The Seventh Avenue Advisory Committee has narrowed its options for revitalizing the city's Historic Seventh Avenue District, but agreed to table votes on the recommendations until Sept. 8.

The board gave a nod toward a two-phase expansion of the district's municipal tax base and favored a change to the avenue's streetscape that could open the door to creative uses for parking spaces. The committee also agreed to hold off on a proposed $12,000 study of two buildings, weathered by time and neglect in pastel paint that sit as the first view of Seventh Avenue from Locust Street.

City Manager John Connet said an architecture firm has offered to evaluate the structural integrity of the two buildings, determine what may be required to bring them into code compliance and develop possible design facades at a cost of $12,000.

A faded canary-yellow storefront cozies up to a light teal storefront between the Mad Signtist and Kilpatrick & Son's Upholstery near the corner of Maple Street. The facades of the empty 1920s-era buildings have drawn concerns. Without knowing if the owners of the two structures would act on any recommendations from the study, the board agreed to look at cheaper alternatives in determining the buildings' potential.

The board decided to wait until its next meeting Sept. 8 before finalizing a recommendation on how the city should expand the municipal service district along Seventh Avenue, first recommended by a recent UNC School of Government study. The committee agreed, however, that the expansion should probably happen in two phases.

The first phase of the expansion would likely bring in contributing properties operating on the district's fringes on Locust, Maple and Ashe streets. The second phase suggests extending the district from Highway 64 to Duncan Hill Road. Any recommendation would require City Council approval before becoming final.

Connet agreed to return with maps to illustrate the dual-phase proposal to the committee's next meeting for a final vote on a recommendation.

Connet also agreed to gauge the interest of property owners and businesses along Seventh Avenue over the next two weeks about a streetscape design that would nix an earlier proposal of mid-street parking.

Connet said some concerns have been raised since the proposal of a streetscape design that moved the avenue's parallel parking to the middle of the street with one-way traffic lanes on either side.

Luther Smith & Associates, which helped lead the Seventh Avenue District's recent Design Charrette with Liollio Architects, shared a new design Monday night that garnered favor with the committee. The new design continues the tradition of the avenue's parallel parking, but includes “bulb-outs” to create more space for pedestrians and shrink the lengths of crosswalks. The plan also proposes the idea of creating “parklets” – a new trend – for public gatherings and green spaces.

Typically utilizing parking spaces, parklets serve as temporary extensions of sidewalks, and can be easy to create with minimal expense, Dave Hazard of Luther Smith & Associates explained to the committee. Parklets have gained ground in larger cities across the nation and can be seen along Asheville's Rankin Avenue, where two spaces have been converted into alfresco dining for a restaurant.

“How can you do things to make impact now with very little money, very little time and get something on the ground to make impact? What people are doing is they're coming and taking these parking spaces and basically making miniature parks out of them,” Hazard said. “They're not permanently doing it, they're building a little structure,” which can be removed.

“If it doesn't work, you pick it up and you move it,” he said. “They can be as simple as straw bales with wood or more complex, but essentially they are parking places that people build platforms out on and planters and create seating areas (with).”

The “quick, cheap and dirty” idea, he added, could also serve as a catalyst for creativity in the district. “You create a buzz fairly quickly,” he said. “I think you have a really good potential to get the community involved.”

“What's unique about this is that every one of them would have to be unique and then all of a sudden people will say, 'I want to go to the such-and-such spot,'” said board chairman Carson Calton, owner of City Tire. “It kind of makes us historic and funky at the same time.”

“We also thought it would be a great opportunity to have little design competitions,” Hazard said. “Get a designer, get a builder, get a community group all together as one and identify a couple of spaces up and down the street to take it over, and if a building changes and a café comes in here, maybe these spaces could be used. That's the nice thing, it is flexible.”

“To me, I see this as a win-win,” said committee member Mark Ray, owner of DAD's C.A.T.S. on Main Street.

Planters can also be used to temporarily establish the “bulb-out” areas of the avenue that will create more pedestrian room at the ends of blocks and define the parking, Hazard said.

The parallel parking proposal may create a few more spaces than the mid-street parking proposal.

The Seventh Avenue Advisory Committee will meet again at 5:30 p.m. at the Historic Train Depot on Sept. 8.

<p>The Seventh Avenue Advisory Committee has narrowed its options for revitalizing the city's Historic Seventh Avenue District, but agreed to table votes on the recommendations until Sept. 8.</p><p>The board gave a nod toward a two-phase expansion of the district's municipal tax base and favored a change to the avenue's streetscape that could open the door to creative uses for parking spaces. The committee also agreed to hold off on a proposed $12,000 study of two buildings, weathered by time and neglect in pastel paint that sit as the first view of Seventh Avenue from Locust Street.</p><p>City Manager John Connet said an architecture firm has offered to evaluate the structural integrity of the two buildings, determine what may be required to bring them into code compliance and develop possible design facades at a cost of $12,000.</p><p>“I think this is way too expensive,” said committee member, Chris Cormier, owner of Carolina Specialties Construction LLC.</p><p>A faded canary-yellow storefront cozies up to a light teal storefront between the Mad Signtist and Kilpatrick & Son's Upholstery near the corner of Maple Street. The facades of the empty 1920s-era buildings have drawn concerns. Without knowing if the owners of the two structures would act on any recommendations from the study, the board agreed to look at cheaper alternatives in determining the buildings' potential.</p><p>The board decided to wait until its next meeting Sept. 8 before finalizing a recommendation on how the city should expand the municipal service district along Seventh Avenue, first recommended by a recent UNC School of Government study. The committee agreed, however, that the expansion should probably happen in two phases.</p><p>The first phase of the expansion would likely bring in contributing properties operating on the district's fringes on Locust, Maple and Ashe streets. The second phase suggests extending the district from Highway 64 to Duncan Hill Road. Any recommendation would require City Council approval before becoming final.</p><p>Connet agreed to return with maps to illustrate the dual-phase proposal to the committee's next meeting for a final vote on a recommendation.</p><p>Connet also agreed to gauge the interest of property owners and businesses along Seventh Avenue over the next two weeks about a streetscape design that would nix an earlier proposal of mid-street parking.</p><p>Connet said some concerns have been raised since the proposal of a streetscape design that moved the avenue's parallel parking to the middle of the street with one-way traffic lanes on either side.</p><p>Luther Smith & Associates, which helped lead the Seventh Avenue District's recent Design Charrette with Liollio Architects, shared a new design Monday night that garnered favor with the committee. The new design continues the tradition of the avenue's parallel parking, but includes “bulb-outs” to create more space for pedestrians and shrink the lengths of crosswalks. The plan also proposes the idea of creating “parklets” – a new trend – for public gatherings and green spaces.</p><p>Typically utilizing parking spaces, parklets serve as temporary extensions of sidewalks, and can be easy to create with minimal expense, Dave Hazard of Luther Smith & Associates explained to the committee. Parklets have gained ground in larger cities across the nation and can be seen along Asheville's Rankin Avenue, where two spaces have been converted into alfresco dining for a restaurant.</p><p>“How can you do things to make impact now with very little money, very little time and get something on the ground to make impact? What people are doing is they're coming and taking these parking spaces and basically making miniature parks out of them,” Hazard said. “They're not permanently doing it, they're building a little structure,” which can be removed.</p><p>“If it doesn't work, you pick it up and you move it,” he said. “They can be as simple as straw bales with wood or more complex, but essentially they are parking places that people build platforms out on and planters and create seating areas (with).”</p><p>The “quick, cheap and dirty” idea, he added, could also serve as a catalyst for creativity in the district. “You create a buzz fairly quickly,” he said. “I think you have a really good potential to get the community involved.”</p><p>“What's unique about this is that every one of them would have to be unique and then all of a sudden people will say, 'I want to go to the such-and-such spot,'” said board chairman Carson Calton, owner of City Tire. “It kind of makes us historic and funky at the same time.”</p><p>“We also thought it would be a great opportunity to have little design competitions,” Hazard said. “Get a designer, get a builder, get a community group all together as one and identify a couple of spaces up and down the street to take it over, and if a building changes and a café comes in here, maybe these spaces could be used. That's the nice thing, it is flexible.”</p><p>“To me, I see this as a win-win,” said committee member Mark Ray, owner of DAD's C.A.T.S. on Main Street.</p><p>Planters can also be used to temporarily establish the “bulb-out” areas of the avenue that will create more pedestrian room at the ends of blocks and define the parking, Hazard said.</p><p>The parallel parking proposal may create a few more spaces than the mid-street parking proposal.</p><p>The Seventh Avenue Advisory Committee will meet again at 5:30 p.m. at the Historic Train Depot on Sept. 8.</p><p>___</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>